In the last four seasons, Bengal has been forced to try fifteen or more opening combinations in the Ranji Trophy. But despite scoring a heap of runs, one opener missed out on selection. However, after creating history by helping Town Club lift their maiden first-division title, Ankur Paul has now taken himself one step closer to his dream.
Last Saturday, Town Club defeated Mohun Bagan Athletic Club by a 50-run first-inning lead to win their first-ever trophy in the Kolkata first division cricket.
Although Ankur couldn’t get going in the first innings, his 135 in the second helped Town negate any comeback from the Mariners.
But not only in the final, but Ankur Paul also finished as the highest run-scorer in the first division knockout league with 534 runs in four games.
The importance of red-ball titles in Bengal
The talented right-handed batter from Howrah, who has already won all the white-ball tournaments while playing for clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in the past, mentioned this red-ball victory as one of his greatest achievements.
“I was only missing this title in my cabinet. I had won white-ball tournaments in the past, but we all know that in Bengal, no one takes you seriously until you win the red-ball tournament. I am happy that I could achieve this with Town Club,” Ankur said in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
Ankur's experience of playing for public clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan came in handy at multiple points in the season for Town Club. Although they had a junior team, they outclassed Mohun Bagan’s lineup, which had 10 first-class players.
“The success and pressure of delivering trophies I had at East Bengal and Mohun Bagan helped me in the crunch moments this season. From the start of the season, we only talked about being champions. As we defeated Mohun Bagan in our first game of the league, we had the belief that we could beat anyone,” Ankur Paul shared.
Read also: 7 uncapped players to watch out for in Bengal T20 League 2026.
Ankur wants to replicate junior cricket's success in senior cricket
Not only at the club level, but Ankur is a highly successful cricketer at the junior level as well. He lifted the Coochbehar Trophy for the Bengal U-19 team in 2017, along with the Men’s U-23 State A Trophy. He is also a runner-up of the Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy with the Bengal U-23 team.
Now, after a successful stint for Town Club, Ankur believes he is ready for the next level and wants to complete the circle of domestic cricket by lifting the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. But Ankur knows the competition he has to find a place in that Bengal line-up when the next season arrives.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, and Sudip Chatterjee - Bengal’s top-order looks solid and fixed. Breaking into that top-order will not require a special performance but lots of patience, too.
“Our top order is really solid, and I know I am aware of the competition that I have, but I can only do my job. I feel I have scored runs consistently, and in the last few seasons, I have matured as a batter as well. Now I know when to take the game deep, when to rotate strike, when to find boundaries and when to be cautious.”
“I feel like I am ready for the next level, but obviously, I have to be patient and ensure that whenever I am playing for Bengal, I am helping the team win games and win trophies.”
Ankur’s height is the same as that of his batting idol, Sachin Tendulkar. The cuts and pulls he plays against the faster bowlers can give you glimpses of a young little master.
Over time, Ankur Paul has developed his overall game and become a smooth attacker against spinners in the middle overs. The young batter’s capability of playing the sweep against left-handed spinners is one of the best in the current club circuit in Kolkata. Besides that, he is also a gun fielder at point and covers regions. These are all the attributes that make him one of the future stars to watch out for.
In the upcoming Bengal T20 League 2026, Ankur will feature for the new franchise, Novus Purulia Royals. He would open alongside Sudip Kumar Gharami there. Apart from scoring big in the red-ball format, Ankur now must carry the momentum in the white-ball tournament as well to keep the spotlight on him.
